FEDERAL POLITICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 June 1924, Page 1

FEDERAL POLITICS.

AUSTRALIA'S DEFUNCT

IL'nTIIAI.IAN ANI> NCAIIt.E ASSOCIATION. .MKI.IiOFItN'F, .lune JS In the House of. Representatives, Mi Brine moved the second reading "I tin* Naval llill. lie reviewed comprehensively tlu* chief factors in the problem ol Australian defence, lie aniiounced the Ministry did not propose to lake steps at present in provide a first class naval base in tin- Pacific, its a result of the abandonment of the Singapore project. He wits still ol opinion tluit the provision of such a base Wits ol tantamount importance and it was only a mailer of time when the recent decision ol the .liritislt flovcrn-iiK-nt would be reversed. In tbe meantime tin-re would be provision for Itielli ii;* ami docking facilities in the Cointnouwealth. One of two new ten thousand ton cruisers to replace the Melbourne and Sydney would lie built in Britain. at a cost approximately of two million sterling. Il had not been decided where the other Would he btliil. lie admitted that the cost of building in Australia would lie no less than three millions. Tlu.- Imperial Conference had aHi rmed the necessity for providing for aderptnte defence ot the territory and trades ol the several countries comprising the Fmpire. and the lit-si guiding principle laid down wtt- thitt the primary responsibility of each portion of the Fmpire was for its own local difficulties. It was now the general opinion, said Mr liruee, that tin* view which had been taken of the benefits that would How Hum the Washington pact had been somewhat exaggerated mid possibly in the drastic retrcMclintcnt that had taken place shortly afterward-, Australia had none too far. Australia was still dependent upon Britain lot* protection. It was useless to endeavour to maintain that she was an independent nation, having no connei-tioii with the Hritisli l'.mpiro. Britain at present maintained only none power naval standard ami it the people declared against even the maintenance of this, Australia would he in a parlous condition. N\ 1 1 i 1 o Britain abandoned the Singapore base, she was increasing her air strength for the immediate dele nee ot her own slimes. Because of the lack of knowledge of the Fmpire anti it's Ittr Hung foitunes, there war- a danger that the question of Empire defence might be relegated ao a second place. The la-ague of Nations was the greatest hope of the world to-day but ii was not in a position to enforce its will on the world, especially its I'uitcd States, (ierttfany. and Russia were not members. The League was now considering tlie cjttestion of mutual guarantees, hut he did not hold out much prospect of being able to rely on this.